This invention relates generally to machinery for wrapping a package and more particularly to a package wrapping machine which creates a unitary package utilizing a self-adhering wrapping material which is applied to the package under a predetermined amount of force or tension.
It is known in the prior art that a palletized package can be stretch wrapped using polyethylene material as is shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,867,806, 3,793,798 and 3,003,297.
The present invention provides an improved stretch-wrap packaging machine and apparatus which is adapted to hold and wrap small packages and loads primarily those to be shipped by parcel post and United Parcel Service.
The present invention provides such improved packaging machine or apparatus having a main driving assembly for rotating a combined supporting member and safety closure disc on which a package supporting assembly for supporting a package to be wrapped and a wrapping material supporting assembly for the wrapping material for wrapping the package are disposed for independent and counter-clockwise rotation relative each other. The package supporting assembly is rotated by a planetary drive and the wrapping material supporting assembly is rotated by an auxiliary driven means operated off of the main driving assembly. The auxiliary driven means includes means for regulating the force or torque required to remove the wrapping material from the wrapping material supporting assembly so as to apply the desired tension to the wrapping material when the package is being wrapped.
The package supporting assembly includes means thereon for adjustably supporting packages of varying sizes within a given range.
The wrapping material supporting assembly includes, unique means forceably gripping the ends of the roll of wrapping material to simply and effectively hold it on the wrapping material supporting assembly and for transmitting the frictional torque or adjustable force exerted on the mounted roll of dispensing material to adjust the tension thereof. Additionally means are provided on the wrapping material supporting structure to move it to and fro along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation for the wrapping material supporting member.